Monday, October 18, 2004

Food, Spirituality and South Beach

In Judaism, food creates deep spiritual connection. We are required to eat three meals (with bread) on Shabbos and two on Holidays. Passover is very focused on eating Matzo and not eating chometz (flour based products). We make blessings before and after everything we eat. The laws of Kashrus inspire everything we put into our mouth. And at every joyous occasion (Bris, Bar Mitzvah, Wedding) we celebrate with lavish meals.

One problem is that this focus on food could cause the scale needle to advance into troubled waters. Over the past Succos holiday, the majority of my family put on unwanted weight. Partly due to the fact that we had six holidays/Shabbos' over the course of 10 days and partially because my two older daughters have become fantastic cooks/bakers along with my wife.

It was with some skepticism that I greeted my younger teen daughter's pronouncement that she was going on the South Beach Diet. The name shouts of faddism. But I ordered the book on Amazon and discovered it was one of the most sensible eating plans I have ever seen - developed by a leading cardiologist. So now the wife, my two oldest daughers and myself are all South Beachers. And I thought it might make sense to share our experiences on this blog. So welcome to the first installment of the Sanders Family South Beach Diet Blog.